Gas feeding and metering apparatus



g0 INVENTOR:

March 7, 1950 E. E. HARPER 2,499,917

GAS FEEDING AND METERING APPARATUS Filed Max 'ch 5, 1945 f/wev'E fla/pefl Arms/v3 Patented Mar. 7, 1950 GAS FEEDING AND METERING APPARATUS Elmer E. Harper, Monrovia, Calif.; Esther Pardee Harper executrix of Elmer E. Harper, deceased Application March 5, 1945, Serial No. 581,153

4 Claims. (01. '73 199) The purpose of the present invention is to provide improvements in apparatus used for the feeding or dispensing of chemicals, such as chlorine gas, ammonia gas and the like, with more particular reference to the type of such apparatus which is equipped for the volumetric feeding of gaseous materials.

It is therefore a special object of the invention to provide eflicient apparatus for maintaining, by vacuum action, a substantially uniform rate of flow of the material, and in combination with an improved arrangement of means for metering said flow, and also a flowindicating means of a most sensitive character for providing visible indication of any flow or leaking action which may be present.

In carrying out this object of my invention I provide an improved manometer construction in which the flow of the gas is so conducted as to first stem or check the flow and thereafter spread or expand said flow for filtering movement through the liquid of the pressure-metering medium, at the same time assaid liquid medium is actuated to register the degree of pressure developed by said flow. In this connection a construction is also provided in which the flowindicating function takes place as this filtering movement of the gas produces the Visible .indications of the gas flow or movement; and the'preferred form of the construction provides for confining the turbulent or flow-indicating action of said liquid medium to a separate chamber which is enclosed by an outer pressure-registering chamber unaffected by such turbulent action, to the end of maintaining a quiet body of liquid in the outer pressure registering chamber-for accurate meter reading purposes. l

Furthermore it is an object of my invention to provide apparatus of the character just indicated which may include an extremely sensitive and accurate mechanism of an automatically acting type. for maintaining the desired uniform rate of flow, or, if preferred, the apparatus may be adapted for efficient manual control operation.

It is further sought to devise a construction of this type which will include provision for a quick and convenient change of flow orifice elements to accommodate varying capacity requirements, and without any change in the remainder of the apparatus.

With the foregoing general objects in View, as well as various minor objects as will appear in ;t he course of the detailed specification. the invention will now be described by reference "to the=accompanying drawing illustratingone form of construction suitable for the embodiment of my improved construction, after which those features andcombinations deemed to be novel and patentable will be particularly set forth and claimed.

The drawing referred to shows a schematic sectional elevation illustrating a typical form of chemical feeding apparatus, of a design suitable for the embodiment of the present improvements.

Referring now to the accompanying drawing in detail, the same illustrates the improved apparatus as comprising a suitable cabinet Ill for the purpose of housing portions of the equipment, and serving to support a block member 12 on which ismounted the manometer and indicator structure. This block 12 is provided with a water feed pipe l4 communicating with branch water passages 15 as Well as a drain outlet l6 fitted with a removable plug 11. The feed pipe l4 connects With a main water supply connection I8 having a shut-off valve 20, and is preferably provided with a flow-stabilizing orifice element 14'.

The upper ends of the branch water passages l5 are in communication with transparent bell jars 22 and 24 respectively which are seated in gas-tight relation within grooves 26 in the upper face of the block I2, and firmly secured thereto by means of tie-bars 21 engaged by nuts 28 at the upper ends of rods 3!], the lower ends of which are suitably anchored to said block l2.

The bell jar 22 is provided with a water overflow outlet 23 and constitutes the short leg, or constant level leg of the manometer structure, and the bell jar 24 constitutes the longer leg thereof, which may be of any chosen length, according to the range of diiferential pressure to be accommodated. Extending axially within said bell-jar 24 and nearly to the top of same is a gas inlet tube 34, which is in turn enclosed by a gas inlet bell 36. This bell member 36 is centered by means of spacer elements 31 and also supported by spaced blocks 38 and in slightly spaced relation above the top face of the block l2.

The bell member 36 is in turn enclosed by a somewhat larger tube 4!! providing a transparent turbulence chamber 42 communicating through passages M with the bottom of said bell 36. and being open at its top near the upper end of the bell jar 24 but below the top of the bell 36. The

is agas outlet tube 44 having its inletend located near the top of the gas inlet bell 36. Both the gas flow tubes 34 and 44 are extended down into the block I2, where the tube 44 communicates with a chamber 46 in said block, which is adapted for receiving orifice elements 48 of various orifice sizes and which are held in place by means of a removable plug 50 fitted with a seating spring 52, as shown.

The orifice chamber 46 is provided with a pipe connection 54 with a water jet type of eductor device 56 supplied by water from the pipe I8 and also having a discharge pipe outlet 58 for the outgoing gas and water mixture.

The gas inlet pipe 34 is connected with the outlet from a valve 60, which may be of any desired type or construction suitable for gas feeding operation and having its inlet connected with a gas supply tube 62 leading from the container (not shown) of the chlorine or other source of gas, supply. The valve element 64 is provided with a control arm or lever 66 pivoted in a bracket 68 and engaged by a spring 10 adapted to actuate said valve into normally closed position. 'A set screw I2 is also mounted in position for engagement with said arm 66 to limit the opening movement of the valve 62.

The free end of the arm 66 is engaged by a link 16 supported by a coil spring I8 housed within a casing 80 mounted on top of the cabinet I0, said spring being attached to an adjusting screw 82 supported by an adjusting nut 84 at the upper end of said casing 80. The link 16 is also at tached to the top of a bell float member 86 which is provided with a flexible vacuum tube connection 88 with the aforesaid gas outlet tube 44. The lower portion of the float member 86 is submerged below the liquid level of a constant level float box 90 which is provided with an over flow pipe 92 and also a water feed connection 94 with the pipe I8, the water supply to the box 90 being automatically controlled by a valve 96 and float member 98.

In the illustrated construction, the outlet from the valve 60 is shown as having a pressure relief connection I with the top of a float casing supports a vacuum breaker cup I06 which pro- A jects slightly above the lower end of said casing.

The said casing I02 serves further to support an air vent bell I08 in water-submerged relation and having the vent outlet I I0 to atmosphere,

and also being connected with the lower end of the overflow pipe 23 from the manometer structure.

Some conditions may make the use of a vacuum shut-off valve desirable in the gas supply line 62 in which case a packless type of valve I I5, such "as shown in my Patent No. 2,404,288 issued under 'date of July 17, 1946, may be installed, the operating arm II6 of said valve having a connection II! with a bellows device H8; and this bellows device is illustrated as having a vacuum connection I20 with a water pipe I22 connecting the float box 90 with the eductor device 56 and provided with an extension I24 terminating inside the vent bell I 08.

In an apparatus constructed complete, for automatic control as illustrated by the drawing, opening of the valve 20 will'start operation of the eductor device '56, which will result in bringing' thfe' waterlevel in the float-box 90' to the float level, indicated at A, and also -to'thle'Vel D as indicated at the top of'the overflo'wp'ipe 23; at the same time, as long as the valve 64 is closed, a constant working vacuum will be produced in the eductor pipe 54, corresponding to the water levels produced as indicated at C in the float bell 86 and at F in the bell jar 24. The vacuum action will automatically open the shutoff valve II5, but if the tension of the spring 18 be now adjusted to just balance the control arm 66 with the valve 64 still in closed position, the control system will remain in balance, with no gas flow taking place through the inlet pipe 34 and hence no differential pressure at the orifice element 48.

If the tension of the spring 18 is adjusted to permit lowering of the control arm 66 for partly opening the valve 64, a gas flow will be started through the manometer structure, with some reduction of the vacuum therein, resulting in a differential pressure between it and the pipe 54 and hence some flow of gas through the orifice element 48. The change in pressure is of course measured by the drop of the liquid level in bell jar 24, as, for example, to the level E, which can be read on a suitably calibrated scale I30 mounted in the required position, as shown. The same change in pressure also takes place in the float bell 86, as indicated by the shifting of the liquid level to a lower level B therein. Hence the tension of the spring 18 can be adjusted to any desired extent within the range of the manometer operation, and as long as the diiferential head at the orifice 48 remains constant, the gas flow and the manometer reading will remain constant; but if a change in the gas flow takes place-as for example, due to a pressure change at the source of the gas flow, a corresponding change will be produced in the differential head, which is reflected in the change of the liquid level in the float bell 86, thereby disturbing the balanced operation of the control arm 66 and thus changing the position of the valve 64. Consequently, the operation of the valve is so controlled as to regulate the flow of gas to whatever extent is necessary for reestablishing the proper degree of differential pressure at the orifice 48 for maintaining a uniform flow; and this control operation continues automatically, and an fluctuations occurring are continuously registered and clearly indicated by the manometer device. As will be noted from the course of the gas through the manometer structure, its flow movement is first stemmed or checked as it reaches the top of the bell jar 36 and thereafter is reversed in direction and at the same time spread or eX- panded as it flows downward through said bell 36 of larger diameter to the openings 4i into the turbulence chamber 42. As the gas escapes from the bell jar 36 it rises in the turbulence chamber 42 with a bubbling action, which being confined to said chamber 42 by the tube 40, thereby prevents any disturbance of the water level in the bell jar 24 outside said tube. Hence the outer liquid level is maintained quiet, for accurate manometer reading purposes. At the same time it is obvious that any bubbling action will still remain visible, and the slightest movement due to any gasflow, or leaks, will therefore be always clearly indicated.

For safeguarding the operation, in case ofany excess gaspressure occurring in the manometer structure, the construction provides for the release of same by blowing out through the pipe I00 and casingl 02,j't o vent outlet' I I0. Likewiseit is anfiarnt'that m'tne event-or any excess vacuum aeuon being-'developeditms will produce a lifting action on the float member N14 to a point where the vacuum breaker cup I06 will be brought into vacuum releasing position, i. e., raised until said cup N36 is high enough to vent to atmosphere. Thus water is prevented from being drawn up far enough to affect the valves, or through any leaky valve to the chlorine container. In this connection it may also be noted that the operation is entirely stopped, automatically, by the immediate closing of both valves 64 and H5 in the event of failure of the water supply to either the eductor 56 or the float box 90.

The changeable orifice structure renders it very convenient to change orifices quickly, for changing the operating capacity, and without any very material interruption of the operation. The only other alteration in the apparatus involved in changing orifices is the substitution of a scale I30 to correspond.

It may be further pointed out that the apparatus is adapted for either automatic operation as described, or for manual operation-as for relatively small installations, in which case the link 16 and parts connected therewith may be omitted and a small hand regulating screw or the like substituted therefor, for manual control.

From the foregoing it will be apaprent that I have devised a highly practical, efficient and relatively simple construction for apparatus of the character described, both as regards sensitiveness and accuracy of the control function required of such apparatus. Very few moving parts are involved which are at all subject to wear or friction, and in the manometer structure no parts Whatever are used which have any movement or wear or require any replacement. Various modifications of the construction may of course be adopted as alternative forms for accomplishing similar or equivalent functions.

It is my desire, therefore, to be understood as expressly reserving the right to make all such changes or modifications as may be fairly construed to fall within the spirit and scope of my invention as defined by the appended claims.

Having described my invention, What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Apparatus for feeding gaseous materials comprising, a manometer structure having a gas outlet connection, a valve having regulating means and in gas-feeding relation to said manometer structure, vacuum producing means communicating with said gas outlet connection, said manometer structure including both gas pressure indicating and also visible flow indicating means, and pressure actuated means in direct communication with said gas outlet connection and responsive to pressure variations therein for controlling said valve regulating means.

2. Apparatus for feeding gaseous materials, comprising a manometer structure having a gas outlet connection and a central gas inlet tube open at its upper end, a bell jar element forming a chamber surrounding said inlet tube, and transparent means providing an outer pressure registering chamber and a flow-indicating chamber in concentric relation surrounding said bell jar element, said flow-indicating chamber being in liquid overflow relation to said outer pressure registering chamber and communicating with the base of said first chamber, and said pressure registering chamber being in communication with said gas outlet connection.

3. Apparatus for feeding gaseous materials comprising, a manometer structure having a gas outlet connection, said manometer structure comprising a gas inlet passage and a pressure metering leg provided with a pressure responsive liquid and a constant level leg communicating with said pressure metering leg, said metering leg comprising a transparent tubular member providing an outer pressure registering chamber communicating with said gas outlet connection and also an interior visible flow indicating chamber, said latter chamber being in communication with said gas inlet passage and in liquid overflow relation to said outer chamber.

4. Apparatus for feeding gaseous materials comprising, a manometer structure comprising a gas inlet tube and a pressure metering leg provided with a pressure responsive liquid and a constant level overflow chamber, said metering leg comprising inner and outer bell jars and a turbulence tube therebetween providing an inner flow indicating chamber and an outer pressure registering chamber having their upper ends in liquid overflow relation, said inner bell jar enclosing said gas inlet tube and communicating with the lower end of said flow indicating chamber, and a gas outlet connection in communication with said outer pressure registering chamber.

ELMER E. HARPER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,283,993 Wallace et a1. Nov. 5, 1918 1,630,318 Tate May 31, 1927 2,074,950 Wallace et a1 Mar. 23, 1937 2,168,616 Black-mond Aug. 8, 1939 2,371,995 Holmes et a1 Mar. 20, 1945 2,376,178 Ornstein May 15, 1945 

